


A blanket of security

by kiwanana



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Swan Queen Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-12
Updated: 2015-07-12
Packaged: 2018-04-08 23:07:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4324296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiwanana/pseuds/kiwanana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ever since "the incident" Regina has been having a bedfellow that arrives and leaves before she wakes, which can only be one person. And she'll do whatever she can to make her stay and help her. Because that's what heroes do. </p><p>They have Hope.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A blanket of security

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you like it and tell me what you think.

Regina turned over as she felt the change in the air. Rubbing at her tired eyes she stared at the empty side of her bed. Her hand reached out to trace the creases left by the body that had just been there. 

Sitting up she looked around her room. Nothing had changed. Except she could feel the air charged with energy that could only be magic. Dark magic.

"Emma." She sighed her hand resting over the dented pillow. Her hand stroked the fabric, as though Emma's head was still resting there. It had been weeks since she'd seen her through a cloud of darkness.

Henry had taken the dagger from her hands when they'd told him what had happened. He'd declared - with all the force a teenager could muster - that if someone wanted the dagger they'd have to pry it from his cold, dead hands.

Silence. Then shouting.

Henry had remained silent under the onslaught. His eyes daring Regina to disagree.

It wasn't until Regina held his hands around the dagger that the shouting stopped. Rule were set in place surrounding the dagger. No summoning. No commands. And only Henry was to keep it. The truest believer with the darkest of all objects. Fitting.

He kept it under his pillow, held tightly in his grip as he slept. Regina had seen the hilt poking out of various pockets in his clothing as he went about his day. 

Giving up on sleep Regina turned her beside light on. The book was heavy in her hands. The expectation of begin good, begin a hero, was new and daunting. But for Emma she'd loose herself in the tomes of magical texts in the hopes of bringing her back.

\-----------------

She sipped at her third cup of coffee as Henry stumbled down the stairs with a tired greeting.

"You're up late this morning." She said, eyes up for a moment to check his wellbeing then back to the book. 

"It's 8 o'clock, mom. That's early for me." Henry chuckled staring into the fridge as though it had nothing to offer. 

"Oh, it feels later." 

"Probably cause you're not sleeping." Henry mumbled shutting the fridge with a groan. Turning his back he opened the cupboards in hopes of salvation from non-sugary breakfasts. 

"What?" Regina snapped the book closed as she glared at his unruly hair.

He sighed, leaning his head against the closed cupboard. "I can't sleep either, mom. Not after she leaves." 

Regina's breath caught in her throat. Henry turned leaning forward on the island between them. He slipped a finger around her mug. 

"How... how do you-"

"I can feel it," he said, sipping the coffee with a groan of relief. "Her magic. It used to feel like... like when I used to fall asleep on the couch. And I'd wake up wrapped in a blanket. That feeling of... warmth, of being cared for. That's what I used to feel like."

Regina hummed at the admission. “Security.”

“Yeah. I feel it with yours too..”

Regina moved the mug from his grip to hold his hands. "What does Emma’s feel like now?"

"Waking up without the blanket." He shrugged. His nonchalant attitude belied by the tightness of his grip on her hands. 

"I'm trying, Henry. I really am."

"I know. Just don't try too hard you wear yourself out, yeah?"

"It's what Emma would do." Regina sighed leaning back in her seat. The book lay open before her. The unread pages continued tormenting her with false hope.

"Yeah, she would. And I'd tell the exact same thing." Henry smiled. "Well, not as nicely but the same idea."

He shrugged under his mothers glare. "What? She appreciates bluntness. You prefer formality. It's not like I would swear! Much." He whispered the last word leaving the kitchen with a smirk.

Regina shook her head as he left, the hilt of the dagger poking up from his back pocket. 

\-----------------

She was ready. This time. She'd stayed awake for the entire night for this moment. She felt the bed dip under the weight of her nightly visitor. Her arm shot out around the woman's waist. 

"The hell?!" Emma yelped as the arm tightened and pulled her into Regina's body. 

"Don't even think of vanishing." Regina hissed. Pushing herself up on her free elbow she looked over the other woman. "You look like shit." 

"Gee, thanks." Emma huffed, relaxing into the bed. She'd stayed away from mirrors for the weeks after the 'incident'. Being the Dark One didn't exactly come with good looks. Thank god she didn't get the scales. Though her skin definitely wasn't as smooth as it used to be. And a whole lot paler too. Maybe she should get out in the sun more... 

"You okay?"

"No," Emma sighed. "But I'm trying, I really am. It's... so hard though, I'm fighting against myself every step I take." She groaned her hands coming up to cover her face. Even in the darkness of night it still felt as though Regina could see into her soul. 

Soft hands covered her own and began tugging them away. She felt Regina shuffle on the bed and came face to face with the woman. Her face was more open than she'd ever seen. Most likely due her makeup mask being non-existent. 

"We'll figure this out, Emma. We will." 

Emma stared at Regina. Her words felt strange. There was something in her voice that didn't sit right with the woman she'd known. Her brow furrowed as her eyes darted across the woman's face. Then it hit her. Her words, her face, her whole demeanour was full of hope. 

"You truly believe that don't you?" Emma asked softly.

"If it stops you disrupting my sleep then, yes." Regina huffed, in a haughty manor reminiscent of there first year in town together. "Now, sleep."

Emma lay still as Regina settled back under the covers. She held her breath as

Regina's slowed. Her hand traced the arm wrapped back around her waist. A hand that had caused destruction and death, yet it also brought care and comfort to those she loved.

Change was possible, Emma realized as she laced their fingers together.

Maybe... maybe there was hope for her yet. 

“Stop thinking so much.” Regina grumbled, butting Emma’s shoulder with her forehead.

Emma laughed for the first time since she’d put Regina’s happiness before herself. It felt good. “I apologize. I’ll let her majesty get her beauty sleep now.”

“You better. Lord knows you’ve kept me awake too many nights.”

“And here’s to many more.” Emma whispered seductively in Regina’s ear.

“Too tired.” Regina moaned, rolling away. Keeping hold of Emma's arm Regina pulled Emma with her and wound it around her waist. The feeling of Emma flush against her back was all she wanted at this moment. “Sleep.”

Emma nuzzled into Regina’s back as her breath began to slow. She pulled the blanket around them with her magic and cuddled under it finally feeling safe. And for the first since it had happened when Emma closed her eyes she slept peacefully.

That is until Henry barrelled through the door at an ungodly hour and crushed herself and Regina under an enthusiastic hug. As she laughed at Regina’s disgruntled expression she wished, hoped, for many more mornings like this one.


End file.
